


To Have A Son

by AuthorA97



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Balinor Lives
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-13
Updated: 2019-06-13
Packaged: 2020-05-02 08:25:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,021
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19195240
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AuthorA97/pseuds/AuthorA97
Summary: Balinor lives the same routine every day. Wake up, hunt for food, hide from Uther's men, go to bed, dream about the woman he loved and lost, repeat.





	To Have A Son

Balinor lives the same routine every day. Wake up, hunt for food, hide from Uther's men, go to bed and dream about the woman he loved and lost, repeat.

Nothing could break this cycle. Not from lack of trying on the universe’s part. It had sent knights after Balinor. The Dragonlord merely hid in the woods around his cave, enchanting the trees so the men wouldn’t notice him. Storms had gone on, ones that would wreak havoc on the forest. Balinor weathered it out.

He couldn’t leave his exile.

He couldn’t go save the Last Great Dragon from being captured by Uther Pendragon. His old friend, Kilgharrah. For that mission was one of suicide. The Dragonlords would very well end at his line, but not at the hands of Uther Pendragon. 

He couldn’t return to Ealdor. 

Couldn’t return to see Hunith’s face once more, see how she had aged for these some twenty years.

See the man she would have married by now.

She had been so beautiful, in Balinor’s memory.

Before his last memory of her, with tears on her face and sobs contained in her throat. The picture of her haunted Balinor.

So he couldn’t leave his exile.

He had nowhere else to go.

 

==THAS==

 

When he first heard that voice, he hid. 

Very rarely, people came to his cave. Some were druids seeking fellow magic users. Others were sorcerers who merely wanted a teacher. Worse off, they were villagers from nearby who brought him provisions for upcoming winters and storms.

Balinor knew when he heard that voice, that this boy was none of those things.

“Hello?!”

The boy walked further into his cave, with the kind of urgency that said lives were in peril. Balinor made sure to stay hidden, to not be exposed to whatever plot this boy had.

Balinor got a quick look at the boy. He was a skinny thing, with a mop of black hair and clearly the clothes of a peasant. He could see no weapon, nor trace of mail beneath the cloth. Though he wasn’t  _ clearly _ one of Cendred’s men, that didn’t mean he wasn’t a diversion  _ for _ Cendred’s men. Or worse.

He leapt out at the boy, wrapping an arm around his throat. The boy spluttered, fruitlessly trying to pry Balinor’s arm off.

“What do you want here, boy?” Balinor demanded.

“My friend, he’s sick! He needs help!” The boy pleaded.

Balinor let the boy go. The boy stumbled forward, whirling around to stare at Balinor. 

“Show me, boy.” Balinor ordered. Yet the boy continued to stare at Balinor, a foreign expression on his face. Balinor wondered if the boy was simple, or was merely being stupid. “What are you waiting for? Fetch him!”

That startled the boy out of whatever he had been thinking. He ran to the mouth of the cave, towards his friend.

While Balinor knew he should have ignored them, should have killed the boy outright for trespassing, if he wanted to survive he should just let these people die before they get him caught.

But he knew that he wouldn’t.

Something about the boy...was familiar.

 

==THAS==

 

Balinor took one look at the boy, instantly seeing the child of Uther Pendragon. That this was a man who was injured upon death, Balinor wanted to scorn the two boys. If the son of the king you committed the Purge died, then it was good for all of Magic.

Balinor didn’t want to save the son, not when the father had condemned him to this life.

The boy- most likely the Prince’s servant- stayed by Balinor’s side after the Pendragon was brought to him. He stood, expectantly waiting for Balinor to heal him. 

Still.

The Dragonlord...he wanted to help.

If only because he knew that boy would continue to pester until Balinor did.

Balinor put a healing paste over the wound. He glanced back, to be sure the boy wasn’t close enough to hear what he did next. “ _ Ahlúttre þá séocnes. Þurh- hæle bræd.” _ The prayer done, he was finished. “He needs rest.” He informed the boy.

“Will he be alright?”

Balinor rose to his feet. “By morning.”

A small weight seemed to come off the boy’s shoulders. “Thank you.” He looked down at the Pendragon, relief over his features. The way you become when a dear friend was spared.

Balinor walked away.

He missed the thankful, wistful smile the boy gave him.

Maybe that was a good thing.

 

==THAS==

 

Later, Balinor cooked dinner for the boy. Well for himself, and a full belly would make the boy more likely to talk with him. Yes. That’s why. No other reason.

“Looks good.” The boy complimented, taking a bite of the stew. “How long have you lived here?”

“A few winters.” Balinor answered, short.

“Must be hard-”

“Why are you here?” Balinor demanded. Because a Pendragon this close to his cave, to him, could only mean bad things.

The boy swallowed. He met Balinor’s harsh stare, indecision in his eyes. He looked down at his food bowl when he answered. “Just travelling.” The boy answered. Balinor stayed quiet, focusing on his food. “We’re looking for someone.” Balinor looked up, meeting the boy’s eyes again. “I was told, well...they said that he lived somewhere hereabouts. A man named Balinor. You never heard of him? He was a dragonlord.”

“He’s passed on.” Balinor lied.

There was a pause. Balinor glanced at the boy’s expression, if only the boy could look up from his stew. “You knew him?” The boy asked.

“Who are you?!”

“I’m-” He hesitated. And though Balinor suspected it was a lie, he was surprised when the boy answered with the truth. “Merlin.”

“And him?” Balinor points at Arthur.

“He’s my master.” Merlin answered. As Balinor suspected.

“His  _ name _ !” Balinor pressed.

The boy was a piss poor liar. “His name is Lancelot. He’s a knight. You know, a nice one.”

Balinor gave the boy a flat, slowly rising angry stare. “His name is Arthur Pendragon. He is Uther’s son.”

Merlin didn’t look too put out for having his lie called out. “Yes.”

“This is Cenred’s kingdom. He’s asking for trouble.” Balinor scolded. The boy looked over at his friend. “What do you want from me?”

“Are  _ you _ Balinor?” Balinor let the silence speak for itself. “The Great Dragon is attacking Camelot.”

_ Good. _

“His name is Kilgharrah.” Balinor chose to say instead.

“Well, we can’t stop him. Only you, a dragonlord, can.” Merlin pleaded.

“He doesn’t act blindly. He kills for a reason: vengeance. This is of Uther’s making.” Balinor stated.

“But he’s killing innocent people. Women and children-”

“Uther pursued me!” Balinor ranted. He put down his bowl, storming away. “He hunted me like an animal!”

Merlin’s expression became grim set. “I know.”

“What do you know about anybody’s life, boy?!” Balinor snapped. Merlin gave no answer. “Uther asked me to use my power to bring the last dragon to Camelot. He said he wanted to make peace with it, but he did  _ not! _ He _ lied _ to me! He  _ betrayed _ me! You want me to  _ protect _ this man?”

“I want you to protect Camelot.” Merlin stated.

“He killed every one of my kind! I alone escaped!” Balinor raged.

Then Merlin asked a question he did not expect, because few people would ever have asked such a question. “Where did you go?”

Balinor shuffled in his steps. He avoiding looking in the boy’s direction. He could see Hunith’s face in his mind’s eye, hear faint echoes of her laugh. “There’s a place called Ealdor.”

“Yes.” Merlin encouraged. If Balinor had paid it any attention, he would’ve seen the anticipation on the boy’s face.

“I had a life there. A woman. A good woman.”  _ Hair soft in his fingers. A sweet kiss of her lips. The beauty of her name falling off his tongue. _ “Ealdor is beyond Uther’s realm, but still he pursued me. Why would he not let me be? What was it that I had done that he wanted to destroy the life I built, abandon the woman I loved? He sent knights to kill me. I was forced to come here, to this! So, I understand how Kilgharrah feels. He’s lost every one of his kind, every one of his kin. You want to know how that feels?” The boy refused to meet the bait, refused to fight with Balinor as he shared his story. The blue eyes told the story of a person haunted by stories, like Balinor’s was just another heartbreak but it hurt just the same as all the others. “Look around, boy. Let Uther die. Let Camelot fall.”

“You want everyone in Camelot to die?” Merlin asked.

“Why should I care?” Balinor spat.

“What if one of them was your son?” Merlin gave Balinor a meaningful look.

“I don’t have a son.”

_ Uther stole that chance from me. _

“And if I told you-”

The boy was interrupted by the Pendragon waking up. He ran to his side, looking at the prince like he’d hung the moon.

Balinor pushed the boy’s question from his mind. It wouldn’t do to think about the life he could’ve had. He’d only drive himself to ruin.

==THAS==

 

The two tried to convince him again. Merlin tried with hopeful (yet heartbreaking) words. The Pendragon merely insisted Balinor do it, for the good of the people of Camelot.

He walked up to them. Merlin hadn’t moved from that rock all morning. The Pendragon stood beside his manservant. The closeness of them revealing something closer than a bond of servant and master. Balinor had expected an air of arrogance, but instead the young prince stood patiently waiting.

“Farewell, then.” He replied. He walked past them.

“That’s your decision?” The prince demanded.

“I will not help Uther.” Balinor answered.

“Then the people of Camelot are damned.” The prince warned.

“So be it.” Balinor stated.

“Have you no conscience?!” The prince argued.

“You should ask that question of your father!” Balinor snapped.

“And you are no better than him!” Merlin spat at him, glaring at him with eyes that had begun to water.

“Don’t waste your time, Merlin!” The prince scoffed. He walked off toward their horses.

Balinor turned away also. He began to retreat into his cave.

“Gaius spoke of the nobility of dragonlords! Clearly he was wrong!” Merlin shouted.

Balinor paused. “Gaius?”

Merlin’s expression hardened. “Yes.”

Gaius, still in Camelot? Balinor was impressed, that the old man had lasted this long. He would be in Camelot now, then, trying to heal those hurt by Kilgharrah’s attack. “A good man.”

“Yeah. I was hoping you’d be like him.” Merlin admitted.

And Balinor refused to ever say how much that cut him. None could be as Gaius were, not with all he had done to help the sorcerers of Camelot. What had Balinor done? Betrayed his kind and kin, and hadn’t helped a soul since.

He looked at Merlin. He looked at the boy’s sunken shoulders, how a dream seemed to have died in his blue eyes. 

The Pendragon shouted for his manservant.

“I wanted to-” The boy tried to say, only to be interrupted by a cry from Pendragon. “Well, there’s no point.”

Then he left.

Leaving Balinor struck dumb.

 

==THAS==

 

Balinor followed the two, of course. At the very least, he owed Gaius for getting him out of Camelot.

When he approached their camp, he heard the Pendragon and his manservant speaking easily. As friends. The idea of a Pendragon befriending someone was a lost concept to Balinor, who saw only the worst of the Camelot Royals.

Except maybe this one, who sought him out in the middle of Cenred’s lands, while his people suffered, to ask the one man with more reason to hate Camelot more than anyone for help.

Besides, it’s what Gaius wants.

He would rather not be haunted by the older man’s eyebrow.

Or the boy’s heartbroken face.

 

==THAS==

 

Later, Balinor and Merlin went off to collect firewood. Apparently the Pendragon was of the mind that if Merlin went alone, he’d stumble onto robbers or the like.

“This wood’s too wet.” Merlin remarked after a few minutes search.

“Don’t worry. I’m sure we’ll find a way to make it light.” Balinor assured. He picked up a log that looked dry enough.

“When you healed Arthur, I heard you mumble some words.” Merlin commented, giving Balinor a meaningful look.

“An ancient prayer.” Balinor corrected the manservant’s thought.

“I thought it might’ve been more than that.” Merlin hinted in a way that he probably thought was subtle.

“The Old Religion can teach us many things.” Balinor admitted.

Merlin sat up with interest. “The Old Religion. Is that something you were taught?”

“It’s not something you can learn. Either it’s a part of you, or it isn’t.” Balinor instructed him, hoping to shut Merlin up. Why had the Pendragon told the boy he needed to  _ talk _ ? “My father knew that, and his father before him.”

“Were they also dragonlords?”

Balinor wasn’t sure why they were talking about his family. So he decided to end this conversation. “We’ll need some kindling.”

“You mentioned-” The boy began. Balinor turned to him, thinking what more there could possibly be to speak about _ now _ . “You spoke of Ealdor. You took refuge with a woman.”

“That was a long time ago.” Balinor replied, looking away from Merlin. 

“I grew up there.” Merlin revealed.

Now  _ that _ was a surprise. “Ealdor?”

“Yes. I know the woman.” Merlin went on to say.

“Hunith? She’s still alive?”

“Yes.” Merlin smiled. “She’s my mother.” He stated.

Which broke Balinor’s heart in a dozen different ways. “Then she married.” He wondered who it could have been. The village was none too short of unwed men who would go after Hunith for a bride. He searched the boy for signs of who it could’ve been. All he could see now was Hunith in his jaw and eyes, Hunith in his lean form. Hunith’s heart in his pleas and words. That would explain his connection to Gaius, as he knew the two were close. “That’s good.” He turned away.

“She never married.” Merlin admitted. Balinor turned back to him. He didn’t dare let himself hope but maybe...the boy was saying- “I’m your son.”

Balinor was truly shocked. A small distant part of him laughed, the son of Uther Pendragon befriending Balinor’s son. Though for now he just let himself see his son. Merlin. See that he had not only left Hunith, but a son, a babe. Suddenly all of the things the boy said, they came together. All the remarks of his history, the questions about Dragonlords, his attentive listening to Balinor’s escape from Camelot. The watering of his eyes, which watered even now, as he waited for Balinor to say something.

He didn’t know what to say, though. What did one say to the son they unknowingly abandoned?

“I don’t know what it is to have a son.” He spoke softly.

Merlin smiled, as if that had been the perfect thing to say. “Or I a father.” A branch broke behind them. They both glanced away, seeing Arthur searching. “You must not tell Arthur.”

Balinor understood. While the prince was different from his father, he was still a Pendragon. If it came out that Balinor had a son then Uther wouldn’t stop to kill them both. He doubted that even a friendship between the two boys would spare his son.

_ His son. _

He had a son.

_ He had a son. _

Balinor’s chest swelled up in joy as he smiled at Merlin, proud to see Merlin give the same smile back.

 

==THAS==

 

“Why did you never return?” Merlin asked, long after Arthur had fallen asleep.

Balinor looked up from the block he was whittling. “I thought her life would be better without me.” He admitted.

Merlin shook his head. “Why?”

“Uther wanted me dead. If he’d found me, he’d have killed me, and your mother. I wanted her to be safe.” Balinor answered instead.

“We could’ve come with you.” Merlin pointed out.

“What kind of life would you have had here?” Balinor countered.

“We’d have been...happy.” Merlin stated, smiling so wide Balinor could almost believe it. Balinor smiled at him. Merlin grinned wider, a new light in his eyes. “When we’ve finished in Camelot, I will take you to Ealdor.”

Balinor shook his head. “She won’t recognize me.” Merlin’s smile dimmed. “I see her in you.”

“Yeah?”

“You have her kindness.” Balinor admitted.

That gave Merlin some of his smile back. He sat forward in his seat. “How did you become a dragonlord?”

“You don’t choose to become a dragonlord. It’s not something you’re taught. It’s a sacred gift. For thousands of years it’s been handed down from father to son.” _ ‘An honor I never thought I would have. I thought the Dragonlords would die with me. You gave me hope, Merlin.’ _ “And that is what you must now become, Merlin.”

Merlin grinned. “I would like that.”

“And like all dragonlords, you won’t know for sure that you have that power until you face your first dragon.” Balinor assured. Merlin’s face fell, because the only dragon left to face was Kilgharrah. “You should get some sleep. We’ve a big day ahead of us. Goodnight, Son.”

“Sleep well, Father.” Merlin spoke with admiration.

Balinor grinned as he went to sleep.

 

==THAS==

 

He awoke to the sounds of swords clashing.

He jumped up to his feet. Merlin threw him a sword, which Balinor used to strike down a charging knight.

He continued fighting a second knight that came shortly after the first. Once he had felled his foe, Balinor looked over to his son.

Merlin was clearly losing his fight.

His opponent had disarmed him. He was going for the killing blow.

Balinor leapt to his son’s defense. “No!” He shouted.

“NO!” Merlin shouted louder.

There was a strong pulse of magic. A deep powerful magic that Balinor has never felt before. It forces him onto the ground. His opponent was blown back into a tree.

Balinor looked to his son. The gold was fading from Merlin’s eyes. 

“Ah, I see you have your father’s talent.” Balinor remarked.

Merlin shrugged, sheepish for some odd reason or another. Something caught his attention across the clearing.

“Arthur!” He shouted.

Balinor followed his son’s gaze. Sure enough, the Pendragon Prince has defeated his foe. He stood close to them, staring at Merlin with a betrayal.

“Arthur. Please.” Merlin pleaded. He stepped closer to his master.

Pendragon grabbed the gulf of his sword.

Balinor stepped forward, being sure to stand between Merlin and the Pendragon.

Arthur didn’t even seem to notice Balinor. He was looking over Balinor- or perhaps through him- to Merlin.

“You have magic.” Arthur accused. 

“Yes.” Merlin answered. The word coming beside a sob. “Arthur please-”

“He said you had your father’s talent.” The prince carried on. “Who was your father? Hmm? Another sorcerer?”

Balinor steppes forward again. “It would be best if you put that sword down, boy. We are not your enemies.”

Pendragon’s face tightened. He understood the unspoken answer, about Merlin’s parentage. “Merlin. Did you know?”

“Gaius told me- but only as we left!” Merlin admitted.

“And the magic? When did you learn that? Before Camelot?” The prince pressed.

“Magic of this kind is not something you learn.” Balinor instructed the boy, as he had instructed this to Merlin. “It is either a part of you, or it isn’t.”

The Pendragon had heard Balinor, only he never once broke contact with Merlin.

“I have magic, Arthur.” Merlin sated. “And I use it for you.” Balior looked back to his son, curious for this response. “Only for you.”

“You can’t be a sorcerer. I would know!” Pendragon yelled.

Merlin sucked in a noise of pain. “Arthur-”

“Enough!” He snapped. “We have no time for this. I will speak with you on this once Camelot is safe.” He glared to Balinor. Anything he wanted to say to the man, the Pendragon kept to himself.

The rest of the ride was spent in silence.

Balinor suddenly understood why the Pendragon had told Merlin to talk.

 

==THAS==

 

It was raining as they approached Camelot. Balinor could see the smoke as they came close to the city, the remains of Kilgharrah’s attacks.

Balinor felt no pity for Uther Pendragon or his people. 

They were met by Uther‘ DJ night. Balinor reaches for his magic, an instinct he had long ago learned to protect himself from Pendragon men.

The knights walked with them all the way to Uther’s war room.

The King and his advisors stood, as the prince walked in.

“Father.” The prince spoke curtly. “I have retrieved the last Dragonlord.”

Uther Pendragon nodded. He turned to Balinor, being met with an outraged glare. “Balinor.” He greeted, curt.

“Uther.” Balinor greeted in kind. “They said Kilgharrah has escaped.”

“He has.” Uther admitted. “We sought you for mercy, that you could spare us from the dragon.”

Balinor hummed. He looked around the room. Gaius stood there. He had only changed in hair color, as the eyebrow was very impressive at saying all that needed to be said. Merlin stood not far behind Balinor, though he was pale as the dead. He kept looking to the prince, waiting for the prince to betray him no doubt. 

“Why would I do such a thing?” Balinor asked Uther. “Why would I save a kingdom that condemned me to exile? That slaughtered my kin and my kind?”

Uther showed no shame for those actions. “Should you kill the dragon, I swear the order for execution would be no more. You will leave with your life. I will no longer pursue you.”

“You have sworn things to me before, Uther Pendragon.” Balinor reminded. “I don’t trust your word.”

“I would owe you my life, as would all of Camelot.” Uther Pendragon swore. “You must trust this.”

Balinor considered this. If they stopped their chase on him, Balinor could escape to Ealdor. He could make the life with Hunith, as Merlin said. Or maybe he could stay in Camelot, meet the son he never knew. He could teach Merlin the ways of the Dragonlords, could teach him the secrets of magic.

But he would always wonder. How long would Uther’s talk of mercy last? How long before Uther sent out knights to kill Balinor? Could he even acknowledge his kin-his son- for fear of his life? Uther swore not to hunt Balinor, but spoke of nothing for his kin. Merlin could be killed. Hunith could be killed.

“I have been running from you for twenty years.” Balinor spoke. “Twenty long years. I could have had a life. You stole that from me, Uther Pendragon.”

Uther did not reply.

“You say you will not pursue me, but what of those who helped me? Who gave me shelter from your knights?”

“All who aided you will be forgiven.” Uther swore.

“And should I start a family? Carry on the line of Dragonlords as it my duty as the Last? Would you spare them your wrath as well?” Balinor challenged.

Behind him, Merlin and the prince tensed.

In front of him, Gaius was giving him the Eyebrow that promised Balinor he would be smacked on the head for this stupidity if this wasn’t so public a place. Balinor was relieved at that.

Uther’s expression tightened. The longer Balinor carried this on, the more his people died. Balinor knew he would say yes, if only because he needed Balinor’s aid. “Yes. I would.”

“Then I want it in writing.” Balinor demanded. “With your seal. You will not break this promise, Uther Pendragon, or on your honor be it.” Balinor held out his hand.

Uther’s glare at Balinor. Except he had no choice but to accept Balinor’s demands. He took Balinor’s hand.

 

==THAS==

 

Balinor stood in a forest clearing. 

Prince Arthur stood behind him. Merlin at his side. Both had insisted on following Balinor here. The prince wore his armor.

“Are you expecting to fight?” Balinor asked.

The prince’s shoulders squared back. “It was as you said. My father killed all the dragons. This dragon is destroying my land. I am not expecting it to be kind.”

“He won’t kill you, Arthur.” Merlin assured, with such assurance that Balinor questioned.

“How can you be sure?” The prince questioned, apparently doubting as well.

Merlin looked down. “He just won’t.”

Balinor went to ask, but Kilgharrah flew up to them.

The Last Great Dragon stared down his nose at Merlin and the Prince. Balinor thought the gaze to be appraising them. Kilgharrah was always good at keeping a cool expression, that was hard for even a Dragonlord to decipher. Still after all this time, Balinor thought he had a good grasp of it.

“Young Warlock.” Kilgharrah growled Merlin’s direction. Balinor’s son winced at the direct address. The Prince’s jaw tightened. “Arthur Pendragon.”

“The dragon talks.” The Prince murmured. He turned to Merlin. “You hear that, Merlin? The dragon talks.” Merlin winced. “You already knew that.” The Prince didn’t give Merlin a chance to answer. He sighed, looking down at the grass in front of him. “Of course you did.”

“Kilgharrah.” Balinor spoke. The Great Dragon stood taller, acknowledging the power of the Dragonlord. “My apologies, my friend and my kin, for your imprisonment. It was my Calling you here that was the cause of your being locked beneath the castle. My actions led to the Dual Genocide, to the end of our kin. I am sorry.”

Kilgharrah bowed his head. “Your apologies are made known, Dragonlord.” He sneered towards the Prince. “And you?”

“What reason do I have to apologize to  _ you _ ?” Arthur snapped.

“Arthur,  _ stop _ .” Merlin pleaded in a harsh whisper. “Just- both of you. Stop.”

Kilgharrah growled from deep in his throat. Balinor tensed as the Great Dragon narrowed his eyes on his son. “I will do the Once and Future King no harm, Young Warlock. Nor will he do onto you. One cannot hate a half which makes it whole.”

Okay  _ now  _ Balinor was  _ confused _ . He had heard the title Once and Future King before. Balinor remembered it in a prophecy, told that the Once and Future King would work with the most powerful sorcerer to walk the earth, named Emrys-

Balinor looked to his son.

Merlin saw Balinor’s eyes on him. He turned away from him, glaring up at the large dragon. This did nothing to make Balinor feel better. If anything, it was making him feel worse.

Balinor swore under his breath as it all came together. His son had the  _ worst _ luck.

The Prince seemed to agree. “Merlin...”

“Arthur.” His son retorted.

“What did he just say?” The Prince asked.

“Sire?”

“Don’t play stupid, Merlin. I know you heard him.”

“I’m not playing, sire. You’re constantly calling me an idiot.”

“Merlin!” The Prince snapped.

“We need to focus on Camelot!” Merlin reminded the Prince, which shut up. 

Balinor heaved a great sigh. What he wouldn’t give for Gaius’ eyebrow right now. “Great Dragon. I understand your need for vengeance, however the people of Camelot are innocent.”

“They are Uther Pendragon’s people. As he killed my kin, I will kill his.” Kilgharrah countered, smoke coming out from his nostrils.

Balinor returned the anger with a glare of his own. If what he suspected was true, he couldn’t let the Dragon continue to vent out his aggressions on Camelot. This was the kingdom his son had thrown his lot with- of whom the prophecy spoke as bring about the land of peace and magic.

For as much as he hated her king, he knew he couldn’t condemn Camelot now. 

“Then I’m sorry, old friend.” Balinor lifted his sword.

Kilgharrah growled, his flames rising in his throat. “I am the last of my kind, Balinor. Whatever wrongs I have done, do not make me responsible for the death of my noble breed.”

Balinor hardened his gaze, refusing to be cowed. “ _ Dragorn-” _

“No wait!” Merlin called out.

Balinor stopped.

He, Kilgharrah, and the Prince turned to the warlock.

Merlin ran up to Balinor, panicked. “You can’t kill him.”

Balinor gawked at his son.

“Merlin, he’s murdered hundreds of people!” The Prince yelled. “He’s destroyed the Lower Town!”

“I’m not saying it was right!” Merlin argued. “But he’d been trapped down there for years! Decades! Anyone would want revenge!”

The Prince continued to stare.

“What should I do?” Balinor asked his son. Merlin along with his Prince turned to Balinor. “You won’t let me kill him. If we let him go-”

“What’s wrong about that?” Merlin asked. “We could let him go. Order him that he could never come back to hurt anyone in Camelot ever again. Or anyone. I mean, unless it was life or death, or to save someone else. We could just tell him to leave.”

“And what do you suggest we tell Father? The  _ King? _ ” The Prince scolded.

Balinor joined in with his son’s apparent madness. “That you dealt the dragon a mortal blow, while I subdued him.”

“Are you both mad?!” The Prince yelled.

Balinor was ignoring him. He turned to Kilgharrah. He spoke the Ancient Dragonlord tongue, commanding Kilgharrah in all that Merlin had said. He could fly across the Five Kingdoms and beyond. 

But he added one more thing.

Kilgharrah would come when Merlin called, for the man had shown him mercy.

Balinor knew he could not be his son’s keeper, not after so long without. He would need someone to watch the boy. Someone with magic. Who knew of his destiny. Kilgharrah had been doing it long enough.

The way Kilgharrah’s eyes narrowed at Balinor also told him it was good for an added punishment. Balinor grinned, in good nature.

“Young warlock, what you have shown is what you will be. I will not forget your clemency.” Kilgharrah bowed his head to Merlin. Balinor stared at Merlin, shocked. The Prince was staring at Merlin as if he had never seen the man before. “I’m sure our paths will cross again.”

Kilgharrah flew off into the night.

“Really?! Did both of you forget that you want to  _ lie  _ to the  _ King?!” _

**Author's Note:**

> This...has been a WIP for too darn long!


End file.
